Transporting spool assembly for strip-like material

ABSTRACT

A transporting spool assembly for striplike material for example, striplike photographic film, this assembly including a spool element adapted to be mounted on and turn with a rotating shaft and characterized by passages in itself and having a fluid distributing block associated with it as part of the assembly whereby vacua and positive fluid pressures may be applied to it effectively through portions of its material transporting surface selectively to alternately increase the tractive effect of the spool element on striplike material transported on and by it and then at a particular angular attitude cause the material to be positively released from it.

0 United States Patent 1111 3,586,225

I 72] Inventor Victor Takata 56] R f n e Cited 7 7 Cambmfle Mm UNITED STATES PATENTS Ml P M 8385 3,204,843 9/1965 Pendleton 226/95 F'led My 1969 3 289 905 12/1966 Pitt 226 95 Diiisinn of Ser. \0. 573.768. Sept. 12. 1966. Pat. \0. 3.474.945 Primary Examiner--Richard A. Schacher [45] Patented June 22, 1971 Auorney-Richard L. Cannaday [73] Assignee Artisan Industries Inc.

Waltham, Mass.

ABSTRACT: A transporting spool assembly for striplike material for example, striplike photographic film, this assembly including a spool element adapted to be mounted on and turn with a rotating shaft and characterized by passages in [54] ASSEMBLY FOR STRIP' itself and having a fluid distributing block associated \vith it as 20 s 6 D win part of the assembly whereby vacua and posmve flu1d presm g sures may be applied to it effectively through portions of its [52] U.S. CI 226/95, material transporting surface selectively to alternately in- 226/97 crease the tractive effect of the spool element on striplike [51] Int. Cl B65h 17/30 material transported on and by it and then at a particular an- -[50] Field of Search 226/ 7. 95, gular attitude cause the material to be positively released from 97 it.

PATENTED JUN22|97| SHEET 2 OF 2 I N Vb'N 'I VICTOR TAKATA ATTORNEY TRANSPOR'IING SPOOL ASSEMBLY FOR STRIP-LIKE MATERIAL This application is a divisional of my application Ser. No. 578,768, filed Sept. 12, I966 and now US. Pat. No. 3,474,945.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the processing of a strip of exposed motion picture film it is most important that a very accurate timewise exposure or contact of the film material with the various processing materials and solutions be maintained. Currently used high speed and color films require in their processing or developing steps certain treatments which are particularly noted as being of very short duration, for example, only a few seconds. Certain other steps of greater duration likewise require that the treatment time interval be closely regulated. As the reels of exposed film are usually several hundred feet in length, the most practical manner of processing is to feed the film in a continuous manner through a multiplicity of tanks in which each of the processing reactions may be precisely controlled. During processing it is highly desirable that the emulsion side of the film be free of contact with anything but the materials or chemicals used in the steps of developing. It is also to be borne in mind that the damp or wet film may be subject to unwanted stretching it undue or excessive tension is imposed upon it as it is transported through the various processing steps.

Automatic processing of film has been practiced for a number of years. Known apparatus for this practice includes banks of spools carried on upper and lower shafts. The spools are arranged to transport the film in a helical manner. Included in one of the known processing systems is apparatus in which the upper and lower spool-carrying shafts are in fixed relationship to each other with at least some of the spools on the lower shaft being driven so as to provide surface speeds in excess of the desired film speed. This method anticipates that film traveling a little too fast will bulge slightly from the determined path causing a slight reduction of the overall contact force of the film upon the driving spool or spools and slowing the film. If the film travels a little too slowly it does not bulge but engages the spool with a relatively greater overall contact force so as to increase its, the film's speed. In other known systems vertically movable lower shafts are used and the speed of the film is regulated by employing an intermittent drive or by passing the film over drive spools of successively varying sizes. Still another known system utilizes a fixed sprocket on each shaft of the bank. As long as the size, type and sprocket engaging apertures of the film are the same this method of automatic processing is satisfactory, but necessarily has only very limited flexibility.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for film processing and the like in which film is fed to at least one bank or spools having an upper shaft and a lower shaft. The lower shaft is carried by an elevator having a means for actuating a fiow control valve in response to the reciprocation of the elevator. The flow control valve modulates a flow of pressurized air, gas, or liquid, or the application of a vacuum to the interior of a clutch, spool or chamber to increase or decrease the speed offilm. The flow control valve may be connected to apparatus in the same or different banks of spools. According to the'inventive concepts hereinafter more fully described, variations in the tension in the strip of film being transported through the bank are used to raise and lower the elevator. Thus since the film being transported is accelerated or decelerated in response to the movement of the elevator as stated above, it is also and ultimately accelerated or decelerated according to its own tension varying either side of a normal value.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for and a method of modulating the speed of traveling material of striplike form, the modulation being responsive to the tension in the material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for and a method of modulating the speed and tension of a'traveling film strip disposed in a helix around spools carried on upper and lower shafts, the lower shaft being mounted on an elevator movable responsively to the tension of the traveling film, the elevator movement actuating a flow control valve adapted to accelerate or decelerate the film drive means or, most desirably, hold it in an essentially steady running condition.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for and a method of modulating the speed of a traveling film strip which is disposed in a helix around spools carried on upper and lower shafts, the lower shaft being mounted on an elevator movable responsively to the tension of the film strip and the elevator movement actuating a flow control valve adapted to transmit pressurized air, liquid and the like and/or vacuum for application against the film to increase or decrease the grip of at least one spool thereonwhereby the tractive effect of this spool is correspondingly increased or decreased and the film accelerated or decelerated. I

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention as well as its nature and substance will be more clearly perceived and fully understood by referring to the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 7

FIG. 1 represents a sectional side view of a typical film processing tank equipped with a modulating drive assembly representative of the present invention;

FIG. 2 represents a fragmentary sectional plan view showing a portion of an elevator mechanism taken along line 2-2 in FIG. I looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 represents a sectional side view ofa modulating drive flow control valve;

FIG. 4 represents a sectional view of a film transporting spool assembly with a fluid-actuated film gripping and releasing means;

FIG. 5 represents a face view of the pulley engaging and fluid distributing member of the assembly of FIG. 4 taken along lime 5-5 therein looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 6 represents a fragmentary sectional view showing a modulating drive with a bellows-type slip clutch assembly and the fluid-actuated film gripping and releasing means of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail in which like numbers designate like members throughout the several Figures, it is to be noted that in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a processing tank 30 which although shown as being closed may be either open or closed at the top and which in the illustrated embodiment carries an upper shaft-31 on which there are mounted a series of film sp'ools adapted to transport or convey film for processing into and out of the tank in a helical array and in a continuous manner. A series of film transporting spools 32 of conventional construction are freely rotatably and axially slidable mounted upon shaft 31, except for spool 32 farthest to the right which is freely rotatable only. This shaft itself is rotatably supported and retained by a bearing 33 mounted on a sidewall or panel of processing tank 30, and is further sup- .ported within the tank by a depending bracket and bearing 34 near which there is a banking collar 35 pinned to the shaft. While the first or film in-leading spool 32 is of conventional construction, the next adjacent spool to the left generally designated 36 which is fixed to the shaft may have a special surface in its central portion 37 upon which film is carried, at least an outermost layer of this portion being of resilient material into which a series of both circumferential and longitudinal cuts are effected to provide a tread in the exterior surface of this central or film transporting portion 37. These cuts are of sufficient spacing and depth that as spool 36 is rotated the tread surface presented to the film causes the film to be more positively gripped and advanced.

Between spool 36 and the next leftward regular spool 32 there is a bellows slip clutch generally designated 38 which is described in detail in my patent application Serial No.

578,768, filed Sept. 12, I966 and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,945. Between successive regular spools 32 there are pairs of collars 39. Individually these collars may be formed as bosses on the spools, but preferably are independent elements and must in any case be free to move axially along shaft 31. The collars are so sized as to permit each spool 32 to rotate on shaft 31 essentially independently of the adjacent spools in the absence of an axial compacting force on the spool array. A longitudinal or axial force may be applied to cause an increase in the frictional engagement of adjacent collars 39 with each other and with the adjacent spools including spool 36 and banking collar 35. Helical springs may be used in place of collars 39. Such springs would have a determined compressive bias, and as interspaced between the spools would provide a slightly resilient drive for the spools sequentially along the shaft.

In the lower portion of tank 30 there is disposed an elevator generally designated 40 which includes a horizontal member 42 having an upturned end which supports one end of a shaft 43. The other end of this shaft is carried by a boss 44 extending laterally from a header 45. A series of spools 32 are likewise carried on shaft 43. This shaft may be thought of as a lower shaft in contrast to shaft 31 taken as an upper shaft, and in the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be considered a dead or nonrotating shaft with spools 32 which it carries turning freely with respect to it.

However, if particular circumstances such as film strength I make it desirable shaft 43 could be mounted in hearings in support 42 and header 45, and spools 32 could be attached to the shaft or could be left free turning with the shaft itself either having or lacking a power drive. All of these arrangements are known to the prior art and no novelty is ascribed thereto except as the modulating drive of the present invention is associated with them and adapted to accommodate the variable operating factors found with these various film transport mechanisms.

' Referring in particular to FIG. 2 it is to be noted that the right-hand side of elevator assembly 40 includes a channel element 47 mounted on the inner surface of tank 30. This element is shaped and sized to engage and retain within U- formed leg end portions a set of four rollers 48 arranged in upper and lower pairs. These rollers are freely rotatable upon transverse shaft projections 49 carried on each end of header 45, and are sized to be freely movable up and down in the leg end portions of the channel element. correspondingly, boss 44 is sized and located on header 45 to be freely movable in the opening between the leg ends of channel 47. Elevator assembly 40 is weighted appropriately either integrally or by external attachment for any given processing circumstance of the film, full liquid immersion, exposure to liquid spray, exposure to a drying atmosphere, etc., to provide a proper basic tension in the film wound helically between and around the spools on upper and lower shafts 31 and 43, as the film extends and is transported through the whole processing apparatus.

Referring to both FIGS. 1 and 2 it is to be noted that a control rod 50 extends upwardly from elevator assembly 40. This rod passes freely through the top panel of tank 30, and at its upper end is operatively engaged with a modulating drive flow control valve generally designated 52. This valve is more fully described in connection with FIG. 3. It is to be noted particularly, however, in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 that as the tension in film being transported over the various spools increases the elevator assembly 40 and control rod 50 are moved upwardly by action of the film, and as tension in the film is reduced the elevator assembly and the control rod are moved downwardly by gravity.

Referring next to FIG. 3 it is to be noted that modulating drive flow control valve 52 shown therein includes a housing 54 which encloses a contoured cylindrical spool 55 having tapered ends and a central portion 56 reduced in diameter. Lands or full diameter portions 57a and 57b respectively above and below reduced portion 56 are sized to a close sliding fit in the'bore of housing 54 and act as gas or fluid seals therein. As shown, spool 55 is mounted on control rod 50 close to the upper end thereof so that as this rod is moved the spool attached to it is also moved in correspondence to the movement of the elevator, and thus in correspondence to the tension in the film as above described. In the modulating flow control valve of FIG. 3 the upper end of rod 50 is threaded to accept a nut 58 which retains a compression spring 60 between itself and the top surface of housing 54, thus giving the elevator assembly a resilient suspension. Adjustment of nut 58 sets the elevator 40 at a final desired position considered to correspond to normal tension in the film and a given length of film in the tank at any one time.

In practice, the mount for valve 52 is preferably a bracket permitting gross vertical adjustment of the position of the valve and hence to a considerable extent of the elevator as sembly, with fine adjustment of elevator position being effected by manipulation of nut 58.

A vent 61 of determined size is provided in the sidewall of housing 54. As shown, this vent is enlarged for the purpose of illustration. Opposite this vent there is a flow connection opening 62 for passage of pressurized fluid or pull of vacuum. A pipe or tube 63 as seen in FIG. 1 leads from opening 62 to diaphragm slip clutch 38. In the lower portion of housing 54 there is an inlet opening 64 to which is connected a pipe 65 as shown in FIG. 1 which is further connected at its distant end to a source of fluid under pressure. In the upper portion of housing 54 there is an outlet opening 67 to which is connected a pipe 68 which is further connected at its distant end to a vacuum source or system. As valve spool 55 is carried upwardly by elevator rod 50 on account of increased film tension its lower land 57b is moved past opening 62. Fluid under pressure entering port or opening 64 then flows through opening 62 and pipe or conduit 63 to slip clutch 38 so as to speed up the rotation of the spools on upper shaft 31 in a manner described in my US. patent application Ser. No. 578,768, filed Sept. 12, 1966 and now US Pat. No. 3,474,945. This speed-up causes more film to be present in the tank at a given time thereby reducing the tension in the film. As the tension is decreased the elevator is allowed to descend carrying spool 55 downwardly until upper land 57a passes opening 62 placing clutch 38 in communication with a source of vacuum through opening 67. This causes a slowing down of the upper shaft spools and an increase in film tension. The foregoing operation cycle is more fully described in conjunction with the detailed description of the slip clutch in my patent application just mentioned.

Referring next to FIGS. 4 and 5 there is illustrated a film transporting spool assembly l38'adapted to exert a variable grip or pull on film passing around or over it. In this assembly a spool 139 which is fixedly mounted on shaft 31 has a plurality of evenly spaced radial passageways 140, for example, 12 such passageways. These passageways are formed in a solid web of the spool, and extend outwardly through the web which is enclosed by a film driving band 141 of material such as rubber. This band is provided with holes or openings aligned with the outer ends of the radial passageways in spool 139. Extending at right angles to passageways are lateral connecting ports 142. These ports terminate at a recessed sealing face 143 on the spool which provides a sliding seat for a raised, ringlike portion 144 extending outwardly from the main body of a fluid distributing block 145. This block, which by itself is both axially and angularly movable with respect to shaft 31, is provided with a pipe connection 146 formed in the portion considered the bottom, as viewed, and with another pipe connection 147 disposed at about 180 from the first connection.

A lateral or axial passageway 148 extends from lower connection 146 and terminates in a distributing duct segment 149 formed in the bearing face of raised, ringlike portion 144 and preferably having an arc length of about l80.A passageway 150 similar to passageway 148 extends from upper connection 147 and terminates in a distributing duct segment 151 similar to duct segment 149 but entirely distinct from it and having an outer surface of block 145 is a compression spring 152 which has its other end engaged or retained by a stop collar 153. This collar is affixed to shaft 31 both rotationally and longitudinally. There is a plasticsleeve 154 on shaft 31 between block 145 and collar 153 which prevents wear of spring 152 on the shaft. The action of the spring is to urge block 145 against spool 139 and provide a firm running and sealing contact of ringlike portion 144 of the block on recessed surface 143 of the spool. As indicated in FIG. 4 the block and the spool are of appropriately dissimilar materials. Block 145 is normally restrained against rotation by conduits coming to connections 146 and 147 so that shaft 31 rotates inside of the block. The conduits coming to the block should, however, have enough flexibility to allow at least slight axial movement of the block so that the action of spring 152 to press the block against the spool will be effective. Angular motion is imparted to shaft 31 by any suitable means not shown.

In use it is contemplated that fluid under pressure such as compressed air or pumped liquid including a film processing liquid fed in through lower connection 146 will be distributed to at least one-half or more of the radial passageways 140 in the spool at any given time. The particular passageways supplied with pressurized fluid are, of course, constantly changing as shaft 31 and spool 139 are rotated and successive lateral ports 142 are brought in way of distributing duct 149. It is contemplated further that a source of vacuum or at least a source of pressure lower than the pressure surrounding film transporting spool assembly 138 will be made available at upper connection 147. Thusthe particular radial passageways 140 in communication with connection 147 at any given time are suction passageways tending to draw film 155 down more than usually snugly on band 141 as this film of film strip passes over the spool assembly, and thus enhance the grip or tractive effect of the assembly on the film. As a particular passageway 140 in communication with connection 147 through duct and passageway 150 is carried around so that its associated connecting port 142 is in way of duct 149 rather than duct 151 it, the passageway 140, is changed from a suction passageway to a pressure or blowoff passageway and serves to cause a clean break away of film 155 from the spool assembly.

In certain film treatment steps the tank 30 is operated with a level of processing liquid carried to and above the tops of the spools on the lower shaft, although it may be below the spools on the upper shaft. When such is the case and the spool assembly of FIG. 4 is used on a lower shaft 43 its pipe connection 146 is disposed to be above the shaft and connection 147 below it. In certain other film treatment steps the tank 30 may be operated with a level of processing liquid carried to and above the tops of the spools on upper shaft 31. A spool assembly 138 may be carried on the upper shaft and in this case have the orientation shown in FIG. 4v Using a modulating flow control valve 52 actuated by an elevator control rod 50, the valves flow connection opening 62 is joined to pipe connection 147 in spool assembly block 145 mounted on either the upper or the lower shaft. Inlet opening 64 of valve 52 is connected to the outlet or discharge side of a processing liquid circulating pump while outlet opening 67 of the valve is connected to the suction or inlet side of the pump. To complete the system, a bypass conduit teed out of the line between the discharge side of the pump and the inlet opening of the valve is carried to pipe connection 146 of spool assembly 138. As the elevator and elevator rod descend because of undue slacking of the film, a greater suction is caused to be exerted at connection 147 of the spool assembly to provide a greater driving grip and pull on the film and an increase in film speed and tension. As the elevator and its control rod rise a contrary effect is achieved.

A drive modulation system using film transporting spool assembly 138 of FIG. 4 differs from that of the apparatus arrangement shown in FIG. 1 in that it does not contemplate that there will be any modulation of the speed of the spool around which a striplike material such as photographic film is passing and by which it is being driven. Rather it contemplates that there will be some imperfection in the grip of the spool assembly's tractive surface, the outer surface of film driving band 141, on the film, with consequent slip between this surface and the film as the linear speed of the film lags behind that of the driving band. Exertion of suction through those radial passageways which are in flow communication with pipe connection 147 through distributing duct 151 at any given time will improve the grip of the driving band on the film and decrease the slip between the film and the band with the linear speed of film increasing to approach that of the band. With increased film speed there will be correspondingly increased film tension. It is of course conceivable, although not representing the usual case, that even in the absence of a suction effect the driving band of a film transporting spool assembly 138 will provide too strong a pull on the film; that is, there will not normally be enough slip. In that case, a modulated fluid pressure rather than a modulated vacuum could be exerted at pipe connection 147 in block to tend to push or blow the film off of the driving band in its active, pulling arc segment.

Referring next to FIG. 6 there is shown a combination-type modulating drive used on a single upper shaft 31 which includes a film transporting spool assembly 138 having a fluid actuated firm gripping and releasing means in the manner of FIG. 4 and a bellows-type slip clutch and sprocket drive assembly 128 which is shown and described in my aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,945. Highand low-pressure or vacuum signals are transmitted to drive assembly 128 from modulating drive flow control valve 52 while pipes or conduits 171, 172 are jointed to connections 146 and 147 in block 145 of spool assembly 138 for the supplying and withdrawing of fluid for film gripping modulation purposes, which pipes may be considered a part of a film processing liquid pumping circuit as described in connection with FIG. 4. Flow through such a circuit may be regulated by a second valve 52 not shown, which may be actuated by an elevator control rod 50 separate from the rod which is illustrated, or which may indeed be placed in tandem with the illustrated valve on the same control rod. The particular combination-type modulating drive shown in FIG. 6 is provided for example only, that is, for showing that the several drive modulation systems or means illustrated and described in my aforementioned U.S. Pat. No, 3,474,945 are amenable to use in combination. Combinations other than the one illustrated will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art with the particular combination used in any given case depending on the circumstance of that case such as preferred film speed and tension, coefficients of friction between the film and the spool surfaces over which it is running, fineness of control required, etc.

Protection by Letters Patent of this invention in all its aspects as the same are set forth in the appended claims is sought to the broadest extent that the prior art allows.

I claim as my invention:

1. In association with a rotatable shaft adapted to be driven by a prime mover a transporting spool assembly for striplike material, said assembly comprising (1) a spool fixedly mounted on said shaft, said spool having at least one fluid flow passageway through it with one end thereof opening through the circumferential surface of the spool over which striplike material passes and the other end opening through a lateral surface of the spool, and (2) a fluid distributing block mounted on saidshaft and within which said shaft is freely rotatable, "said block being disposed in contacting and rotatably sliding relation to said spool on the lateral surface thereof wherethrough said fluid flow passageway opens and having (i) a first fluid flow passageway of which one end is disposed to be connected to an external source of fluid signals at a first level of pressure and the other end is disposed to come into intermittent connection with the passageway through said spool as there is relative rotary motion between said spool and said block, and (ii) a second fluid flow passageway of which one end is disposed to be connected to an external source of fluid signals at a second level of pressure and the other end is disposed to come into intermittent contact alternately with said other end of said first fluid flow passageway through said spool as there is relative rotary motion between said spool and said block.

2. A transporting spool assembly for striplike material according to claim 1 in which said fluid distributing block is axi- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 0 586 D t d June 22 1971 Inventoz-(fl) Victor 'lakata It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 45: between "film's" and "speed" insert a comma. Column 1, line 56: for "or" (between "bank" and "spools") read -of-. Column 2, line 41: for "lime" read "line". Column 2, line 56: for "slidable" read -s1idably-. Column 4, line 52: for "12" read -twelve-. Column 5, line 35: for "of" (between "film" and "film") read --or-. Column 6, line 25: for "firm" read film-.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of December 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.F'LETCHER,JR. ROBERT GO'I'TSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-IOSO (10-69] USCOMM-DC soa'le-pcq a U 5 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE "N9 O-366334 

1. In association with a rotatable shaft adapted to be driven by a prime mover a transporting spool assembly for striplike material, said assembly comprising (1) a spool fixedly mounted on said shaft, said spool having at least one fluid flow passageway through it with one end thereof opening through the circumferential surface of the spool over which striplike material passes and the other end opening through a lateral surface of the spool, and (2) a fluid distributing block mounted on said shaft and within which said shaft is freely rotatable, said block being disposed in contacting and rotatably sliding relation to said spool on the lateral surface thereof wherethrough said fluid flow passageway opens and having (i) a first fluid flow passageway of which one end is disposed to be connected to an external source of fluid signals at a first level of pressure and the other end is disposed to come into intermittent connection with the passageway through said spool as there is relative rotary motion between said spool and said block, and (ii) a second fluid flow passageway of which one end is disposed to be connected to an external source of fluid signals at a second level of pressure and the other end is disposed to come into intermittent contact alternately with said other end of said first fluid flow passageway through said spool as there is relative rotary motion between said spool and said block.
 2. A transporting spool assembly for striplike material according to claim 1 in which said fluid distributing block is axially movable upon said shaft and which further comprises a stop collar affixed to said shaft in spaced relation to said fluid distributing block on the side of said block remote from said spool, and resilient means disposed between said stop collar and said fluid distributing block whereby said block is urged continuously into contacting relation with said spool. 